Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Ending Bantamweight’s Wild Year

Once 2016 got rocking and rolling last January, we were treated to
a nearly immediate restructuring of the bantamweight division. It
is only fitting that the year ended in a similar fashion.

Twelve months ago, Dominick
Cruz recaptured the
Ultimate Fighting Championship 135-pound title, earning a split
decision over T.J.
Dillashaw in one of the year’s finest fights. However, after
not losing an MMA fight for nearly 10 years, Cruz’s reign would not
last until 2017, as a former Dillashaw stablemate at Team Alpha
Male, Cody
Garbrandt, turned in a stupendous performance at UFC
207 to take the UFC title and bantamweight supremacy.

For 25 minutes, the heavy-hitting Garbrandt danced, mocked and
pelted Cruz on the feet in a way no one ever has. His outstanding
championship title capture was not only a technical sight to
behold, but the win was Garbrandt’s fourth this year. In a year
full of outstanding campaigns, few had a 2016 as good as Garbrandt,
who was clearly the year’s breakout fighter.

Of course, speaking of 135 pounds, Garbrandt-Cruz was not even the
UFC 207 main event. That honor belonged to Amanda
Nunes, who made her first successful UFC title defense by
positively destroying and humiliating MMA superstar Ronda
Rousey in the “Rowdy” one’s anticipated Octagon return.

Rousey, who was blasted by the Brazilian’s heavy-punching offense
from the outset, lasted only 48 seconds in her deflating loss. The
UFC women’s bantamweight title changed hands three times in just
over seven months, but Nunes appears to have the division on
lockdown, at least temporarily. However, the more pressing question
is whether or not Rousey, who had dominated the 135-pound division
since her 2011 pro debut, will ever fight again.

While Rousey has yet to officially exit our rankings, this update
does feature some smaller, notable exits. While he was no longer in
our top 10, former UFC heavyweight champ Brock
Lesnar’s UFC 200 win over Mark Hunt had
him floating on our bubble list; however, with Lesnar accepting a
one-year suspension from his failed United States Anti-Doping
Agency test last summer, the victory is now a no-contest and Lesnar
is off of our contenders list. Also, after blowing weight again
before being defeated by Neil Magny at
UFC 207, former No. 1 welterweight Johny
Hendricks is bounced from our bubble list, as well.